The Bahraini Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture has launched the Agricultural Import Permit issuance service through the Ministry’s official website and the national eGovernment portal, enabling importers to conveniently apply for, manage, and obtain permits online with greater speed and efficiency.
The new Agricultural Import Permit digital service streamlines the issuance of import permits for plants, plant products, fertilizers, soil enhancers and pesticides, unifying procedures, accelerating processing times and improving global indicators for goods clearance efficiency.
Processing time has been reduced from four working days to just one, with fewer steps and approvals required. The system is integrated with multiple government platforms, including commercial registration records, enabling automated data verification. Users can apply, pay for Agricultural Import Permit electronically, and instantly issue and print permits online.
The Agricultural Import Permit service also allows applications to be issued, renewed, amended or cancelled through a unified fee system, eliminating the need for in-person visits. Each permit features a QR code for secure verification, enhancing transparency while saving time and effort for importers.
Asim Abdullatif Abdullah, Undersecretary for Agriculture Affairs and Animal Wealth at the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture, said the Agricultural Import Permit service demonstrates the Ministry’s commitment to innovative digital solutions, boosting efficiency, integration and the business environment. He added that it supports ongoing efforts to streamline international trade procedures, enhance user experience and advance the Kingdom’s digital transformation agenda.
As part of ongoing efforts to re-engineer public services, more than 1,300 government services have been documented, translated and published, with around 800 currently under development across various sectors.
These improvements are driven by feedback from the National System for Suggestions and Complaints (Tawasul), investor input, secret shopper evaluations, and the introduction of guidance manuals and service level agreements. Together, they aim to enhance efficiency, elevate service quality, improve user experience and advance the government’s digital transformation.
